All's Well That Ends Well
by TicTactful
Summary: Episode 8 in my ongoing series. This features Wolfsbane, Cannonball, and Nightcrawler. Rated to be safe, for language and a wee bit of violence.
1. Default Chapter

Standard Disclaimer: I am a college student! I do not own these characters and I hereby beg Marvel and Kids WB! not to sue me because I have not a single penny to give them. 

Author's Notes: This is the eighth episode in my continuity. Here, Rahne Sinclair/Wolfsbane is a member of the (Season 1) X-Men, while Sam Guthrie/Cannonball is in the Brotherhood. (Yes, I like the New Mutants. Deal.) I hope you enjoy reading what I enjoyed writing. 

Also, if you folks want me to post the first six episodes (all of which were originally posted on the X-Men comics board due to my ignorance) here on the cartoon board, let me know so I can tell if moving them all is worth the effort. Thanks, and peace, love, and lemony Jell-O to you all. 

**** 

Rahne stifled a yawn and trotted along with the rest of the group as the teacher's monotone droned on. "This is the Senate chamber on your right … it's currently in session, so we can't go in, of course. But let's just stand here and take pride in our state lawmakers' hard work in there …" 

Rahne rolled her eyes at Kurt, who made a face in response. When their history teacher had announced a field trip, they'd been hoping for New York City - not the state capital in Albany. 

"We're walking … we're walking …" 

"Aargh," said a voice behind Rahne's ear. She turned to see Sam Guthrie. "Ah think Ah'm losin' mah mind." 

Kurt blinked in surprise to see the Brotherhood boy approach them. "Ach … ah, yes, the only attraction I really vant to see is a food court." 

"Och, hush, Mr. Wickman's glarin' at us," Rahne covered a giggle with a cough. "D'ye want us tae get in trouble?" 

"Maybe we'd get sent home early," suggested Sam wistfully. 

"Come on!" She herded them forward with a few swats. 

  
Later, as Rahne emerged from the restroom, Kurt and Rogue caught up to her. "Rahne," said Kurt urgently, "vhat are you thinking, hanging around vith the Brotherhood like that?" 

"Kurt, wha'?" 

"They're bad news," Rogue put in. "Trust me - Ah know." 

"Wha' are ye-" 

"Rahne, ve are only vorried about you." 

"They're dangerous guys, Rahne. You should be more careful, Ah mean, really!" 

"Have you forgotten vhat happened the last time you decided to trust them?" 

Rahne flushed. "A have nae, thank ye kindly. But A'll have ye remember, folk can change. Or have _ye_ f'rgotten, Rogue?" And she shouldered her way past her friends. 


	2. Chapter 2

The kids were soon sent outside and loaded back onto the bus, then dropped off again at a McDonald's. Rahne bought herself a Happy Meal and a milkshake. Tucking her change back into her pocket, she glanced around the crowded restaurant. Kurt and Rogue had their own table, but Rahne slipped out the door behind them. She was still feeling a little bit cut by their earlier comments, even though she knew they meant well. And besides, there was a face missing indoors. 

She found Sam sitting cross-legged beside the bus, a battered brown paper bag between his knees. "Wha' are ye doin', out here all by yerself?" She settled down on the pavement beside him. 

"Ah … just eatin'." He folded up the paper bag and set it aside quickly. 

"Done already?" Before he could object, she reached across him, grabbed the bag, and peered into it. An apple core and a few crumbs stared sadly back at her. "Sam! Is tha' all ye had?" She poled him in the side; a prominent ribcage met her fingers through his shirt. "Share some o' me lunch, A'll just end up throwin' half of it away otherwise." 

"Rahne-" His ears turned red. "Ah don't hold with takin' charity." 

"Consider it givin' charity, then. Tae poor li'l Rahne, who would be sae sad tae see a friend gae hungry." She turned the puppy dog eyes on him. "Please?" 

"Rahne, Ah-" 

She shoved a fistful of French fries into his open mouth. "Mmph!" He swallowed and coughed. "You're a rotten kid, ya know that, hairball?" 

"Same tae ye, hayseed. Now eat or A'll bite ye!" 

"Ah bet mah invulnerability covers wolf teeth." 

"Care tae find out?" She bared dangerous-looking canines with a grin. 

"All right, all right!" He laughed and picked up another fry. "You win." 

"What's this, Guthrie?" said a new voice. "Consorting with the enemy?" 

Rahne tensed and started to rise, but Sam caught her elbow. "It's okay," he promised. 

Lance slapped her shoulder. "Yeah, don't worry. I'm not gonna try and get you to change teams, or beat the snot outta ya - I think Beanpole there would have my balls if I tried." Sam's flush spread to his cheeks. "We fought together, I can't turn on you now. You're practickly an honorary member of the Brotherhood now." 

"Well, thank ye, Lance, but ye'll f'rgive me, A hope, if A dinnae take yer words at face value." 

"No hard feelings." He offered a hand and she shook it firmly. Sam relaxed visibly. 

Pietro popped up behind Lance's shoulder, munching a handful of French fries. "Hey, Rahne, thanks for the grub!" 

"Why, ye-" She laughed and lunged after him. He kept himself at near-normal speeds, and let her chase him across the parking lot; Sam hurriedly lifted the box of food out of the way of their pounding feet. 

  
Rogue glanced out the window. "Uh-oh." 

Kurt followed her look. "Was? … ach, Rahne!" 

"Ah'm gonna punch Pietro so hard his hair'll turn black." Rogue ground her teeth. "Come on." 

  
Finally Rahne managed to catch hold of Pietro's sleeve and snatched back the bag from his hand. "Got ye!" 

"What's goin' on here?" Rahne and the Brotherhood turned to see Rogue bearing down on them. "Leave her _alone_." 

"We were just goofing around," Pietro began, but Rogue cut him off with a glare. 

"Find a vay to 'goof around' vithout picking on X-Men," put in Kurt, coming up behind Rogue. "Gentlemen." 

"They were nae pickin' on me, Kurt," said Rahne. "We were just playin', like ye and A've done a million times before." 

"Nothin' is 'just playing' with these guys." Rogue frowned down at her. "Ah'd thought you'd have learned that by now." 

"A guess A'm just a slow learner, then." Rahne crossed her arms defiantly. 

"Ach, come on, Rahne," Kurt burst out. "Your silly schoolgirl crush on Blondie there has blinded you to reality. Grow up!" 

Rahne was suddenly glad her back was to Sam, as she felt her face go as red as her hair. "Kurt," she said tartly. "First, who A like or who A dinnae is none o' yer business. Second, ye are nae one tae talk about silly crushes. And nor should ye try tae tell me who A ought tae be friends with." 

Kurt looked as if he would be blushing scarlet, too, if not for the safety of his hologram. "Rahne Sinclair, if you-" 

"Hey, knock it off for a second!" Lance interrupted, stepping between the combatants. "We got bigger problems." 

He jerked his head to the left. The others looked over their shoulders to see a group of five men just down the street talking quietly between themselves. 

"A dinnae," Rahne began, then stopped and peered closer. She felt her face grow pale. Those were colorful eagles emblazoned on the men's denim baseball caps. 

"What's goin' on?" Rogue demanded crossly. 

"Ah don't want ta go back in the box," said Sam in a strangled voice, shrinking back behind the others. 

Rahne took his hand and patted his cheek with what she hoped was a sunny smile. "Dinnae worry, we will nae let anyone dae such a thing tae ye." 

"Hang on just one damn minute." Rogue threw her hands in the air. "What's all this talk about puttin' people in boxes? And why's everybody getting' so worked up about some guys just standin' there talkin'?" 

"Those guys are from the Friends of Humanity," Lance said, prodding her in the shoulder with a finger. "The goons who kidnapped Guthrie a couple months ago. And they prolly recognize me and him and Pietro and Sinclair." 

"Well, shee-it." Rogue put her hands on her hips. "What you think we should do?" 

One of the men glanced back at the mutants, and put a hand inside his jacket. Sam's grip on Rahne's hand tightened convulsively. 

Kurt swallowed hard. "Not go back into the restaurant, first of all. We do not vant somebody innocent to get hurt by those morons." 

"Hey. Aren't _we_ somebody innocent?" Lance objected. 

Rogue snorted. "Well, Guthrie's about as pure - and as bright - as a baby lamb. But you ain't innocent, Lance, never have been and never will be." 

"Now listen here-" 

"Yo, guys!" Pietro darted into the center of the argument. "Think we could get past the personal attacks and do something since those guys are now coming right this way now?" 

"Ach!" 

"Och!" 

"Shee-it!" 

"Run!" 

The six teenagers took off at a dead run down the side street next to the restaurant. Rahne heard the three men cursing behind them, and then the pounding footsteps of heavy boots on the concrete. The other mutants began to pull ahead of her; Rahne sucked air into her lungs, begging her short legs to move faster and trying not to think of the old adage about not needing to outrun the bear … 

Then Sam glanced back over his shoulder, uttered a curse word, and before Rahne could even register what had happened she was flung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. 

"Sam," she gasped, "ye'll fall behind, carryin' extra weight like this!" 

He wrapped an elbow around her knees in response. "Carried all kinds o' coal in the mines. Ya can't weigh much more'n that stuff." 

"But ye did nae have tae run a marathon while carryin' it," she objected. 

"Will you shut up and run before those jerks can pull their heat on us?" roared Lance. 

"Surely they would nae shoot us down in the street!" Rahne tried to crane her neck to look at the older boy. "Murder cannae help their cause!" 

"I do not think they care for vhether or not their cause is helped," huffed Kurt, "so much as vhether or not there are a few less 'muties' in the vorld." 

"AndtheymightjustwingasmanyofusastheycanandtrytodothesamethingthattheydidtoGuthrielastfall," Pietro said. 

Rahne's fists clenched in the back of Sam's shirt. "But we will nae let tha' happen …" 

There was a short silence. Then, "Didn't I say, shut up and run!" 


	3. Chapter 3

The sound of sneakers slapping concrete filled an alleyway as the six teenagers darted in. "Looks like we lost 'em," said Lance, between wheezes for air. "Again." 

"You pussy." Pietro sneered at him. 

"But they found us the other two times ve thought ve had gotten avay," Kurt reminded the group. "Vhat now?" 

"We need a plan," Rogue said. She folded her arms. "But what should we do?" 

"They already know we have powers," Rahne said. "If'n we can find a place where there's nae one else tae see, or tae get hurt, we can use our abilities tae disarm them and get away f'r good. Only problem is …" 

"If there's nobody around ta see us bein' mutants, there's no one there ta stop them shootin' us in the head," finished Sam unhappily. 

"But do we have a choice?" Lance asked. "Those guys have had training - they're not gonna have to stop running before we do. And if all eleven of us drop over from exhaustion, well, guns don't get tired like mutant brats do." 

Rogue nodded. "Ah agree. We're gonna have to stop and fight 'em. Try not ta hurt 'em if ya can, it'll make us mutants look bad." 

"We can do that." Lance looked around. "I think if we keep headin' this way we'll get to a part of town where either there won't be anyone to see what happens or anyone who sees won't give a good goddamn and who'll know to get outta the way of bullets anyhow. Slums, or ghetto, or whatever you wanna call 'em." 

Kurt was scowling, Rahne realized. _Wha's wrong?_ She mouthed the question to him but he looked away into the deeper shadows of the alley. 

Rogue had her lips pursed and was nodding agreement. "Works for me. Kurt, Rahne - y'all in?" 

"O' course." 

"Ja." 

"And my boys are in," Lance said proudly. Pietro and Sam tried to stand up straighter. 

Rogue started to offer her hand for a shake, but Rahne cried "Footsteps!" first. 

"This way!" said Lance, and they took off at a dead run, Rahne thrown across Sam's shoulder once more. 


	4. Chapter 4

Sam set Rahne down in the trash-strewn alleyway that Lance designated as the site of their stand. "We're in no-man's-land now," the Brotherhood leader said. "We probably won't have many chances to stop them before they try to put a few holes in us. So … take your shots carefully, don't do any stupid shit, and look out for your teammates. All of 'em." 

Rogue looked like she would have liked to say something along the lines of, 'Who died and made you king?' but Lance's remarkably un-hostile speech seemed to make her hold her tongue. "Right," she said instead. "Let's get ready, y'all." 

Pietro crouched in a runner's starting position; Rogue peeled off a glove; Lance braced his feet on the cracked pavement. Rahne gave Sam's arm one last reassuring pat before slipping into her transitional form. This would be of more use in the fight to come than a full wolf's crushing teeth and paws. 

Several rapid heartbeats thundered in Rahne's ears as she stood waiting. Then the seven men ran around the corner. They stopped suddenly, surprised to see the teenagers ready to face them. Instinctually they reached for their handguns; one of them had his halfway up when Pietro plowed into him and sent him flying into a building. Another two men suffered a similar attack on Sam's part. Kurt dodged blows from another, Lance grappled with a fifth, while a sixth blocked a blow from Rogue's bare hand, and Rahne swiped at the last man's gun hand. 

Bullets flew in every direction, without care for target. Rahne had no attention for any but the man under her paws and she tried not to think that some of the howls of pain she heard might belong to her packmates rather than their enemies. It was difficult to think clearly in her half-wolf form; she struggled to remember that she must only disarm and disable this two-legs and not harm him. As she fought for control of the strange two-leg weapon she longed desperately for the guidance of Professor Xavier, or either of her teachers at the giant two-legs cave, or even Magneto, the mysterious and dangerous two-legs who had been present for the rescue of her new packmate and possible mate. 

_Possible mate?!? Better not ever let Lance hear tha' one_ The distinctly human thought broke through. Rahne whacked the man's arm against a convenient (though broken) street lamp; the blow numbed his hand enough to make him drop his gun. She picked it up and flung it away into the trash in the street. The man tried again to tackle her from behind, but she used her lupine strength to buck him free. He did a somersault over her and landed, unconscious, on his back. Rahne sucked a deep breath and turned to see which of her packmates - teammates - needed help most. 

One of Sam's opponents had been put down for the count by his sudden acquaintance with a brick wall, but Sam was still engaged in a fistfight with the second. Pietro was running circles around his man, creating a small whirlwind that would, eventually, drop the man to the ground and into unconsciousness when Pietro stopped. Either Lance or Rogue had felled their enemy and they were both fighting the same man, who was doing a remarkably efficient job of keeping them away from him with the shaft of the billy club he carried. Kurt had just seized hold of the last Friend of Humanity for a series of short teleportation trips; upon reappearing for the final time, the man dropped to his knees and vomited profusely while Kurt swayed above him. Rahne dropped to all fours and ran towards them. The man was just rising to his feet to raise an arm against her when she barreled into him and pitched him sideways. Kurt sat down hard on the sidewalk and let Rahne knock their enemy down again as he struggled once more to get up. This time his head bounced against the ground and he lay still except for the rise and fall of his chest. 

Rahne bent and offered Kurt a paw to help him up. "There, now, are ye all right?" 

"Ja, I am fine." He shook his head as if to clear it. "Who can ve help?" 

Rahne turned back to the fight. Pietro had just dropped his opponent, and was moving to help Sam make sure that his man, too, was out of the fight. Lance was sitting on the back of the Friend he had been fighting, and Rogue bent down to slap a hand across his face, leeching him of strength and consciousness. "Looks tae me as if-" 

A sudden flash of silver caught her eye. Her human mind flickered like a candle's flame and was replaced by the wolf, who threw herself forward in a blaze of anger. The fallen two-legs had reached into his fur and pulled free a shining silver claw. This claw was aimed at the back of her silver-furred packmate, who was ignoring him to pull a rope free from a pile of garbage. If that wicked two-legs hurt her packmate she would tear his hamstrings out and share his flesh with the rest of her pack! 

But a flash of darkness slashed across her black-and-white vision. The silver-furred one was out of her line of sight, leaving only the horrified-looking two-legs. She was on top of him in an instant, her massive paws pinning his shoulders to the ground. A strand of saliva dripped from her jaws as she leaned in, snarling a leer in his face as he jabbered in terror. She raised her claws for the kill- 

--and then Kurt was there, in a blast of sulfur and brimstone, seizing her head in his hands. "Rahne! You must not! Remember who you are!" 

In startlement, she shifted back to her transitional form. A few human concepts crept back into her mind. _Kurt - friend. Cannae hurt this wicked two-legs or it's trouble f'r all of us. Bloody … !_ She growled once more and shifted into her human form. 

Kurt breathed a sigh of relief, and stood back from her as she knocked out the man beneath her with a solid right cross. "Are you all right Rahne?" 

"A'm fine. Is everyone-oh, Lord have mercy!" She ran to the two figures on the ground. "Are ye all right?" 

"I'mfine!" Pietro said shrilly. "ButGuthriehere'sgothismoronheadonbackwards!" 

"Sam!" 

"Ah'm all right, hairball." Sam held one hand tightly over his side. "Don't you worry yerself, now. It's hardly bleedin' at all." 

"A dinnae care - ye're going tae let me see it now, or else A'll bite ye!" 

"We've been over this already, Ah think," he said, but moved his hand. 

"What happened?" Rogue asked, shouldering her way past Pietro. 

"Guthrie! You okay, beanpole?" Lance's voice cracked with what sounded like real concern. 

Pietro looked up at them. "He'snotokay,he's-" 

"Slow down!" Rogue interrupted. "Ah can't understand a word you're sayin'!" 

The white-haired boy took a deep breath. "He's not okay, he's an idiot! That guy-" he indicated the nearby Friend of Humanity "-tried to stab me and likesomekindofjackoffmoron-" 

"Pietro!" 

"-Guthrie takes the knife for me, instead of getting my attention or using his power!" 

"No time to yell." Sam grunted as Rahne probed at his wound. "Didn't have a chance to think. Ah just did it." 

"You done good," Lance said with a note of pride. He looked to Rahne. "How is he?" 

"It's nae a bad wound, long but nae deep. He'll be fine." She watched the deep furrow leave Lance's brow as he exhaled heavily. "A just need something tae stop the bleedin'. Lance, will ye give me yer vest?" 

He hesitated, and Rahne realized that it was probably the only clothes he had. Quickly she corrected herself. "Nae, that's nae nearly big enough. Here, A'll use me blouse." She stripped to her tank top, her bare arms turning to gooseflesh in the spring breeze, and pressed the white garment to Sam' side. "There ye are." 

The rest of the team's injuries were quickly assessed and looked after. Rogue had a split lip, Kurt was nauseous, and there were various bruises and scrapes distributed among all the teenagers, but nothing serious. Lance and Pietro helped Sam up, and they made their way to a payphone to call home for pickup. 

As the six of them sat waiting for Logan to arrive with the van, Sam lifted his head from Rahne's shoulder to look at her. "This is a down payment on the debt," he said solemnly. "Ah'm workin' on it." 

Her heart turned over in her chest as he leaned against her again, clutching the stained blouse against himself. "A know ye are," she said, and put her arm around his waist, careful not to disturb his wound. 

Kurt, his arms cradled in front of him, turned his back on them. 


	5. Chapter 5

Rahne sat in the detention hall, fiddling with her calculator. All six of the students had received detentions for running off in the middle of the field trip - obviously they hadn't been able to adequately explain their disappearance to Mr. Wickman. Rahne expected it was only Professor Xavier's intervention that had kept them from getting suspensions. Not that it would have been the first time for Lance, at least, but Rahne wanted to keep her record spotless as it had always been. 

She glanced around at the other kids. Lance had fallen asleep and was beginning to snore; no doubt Mr. Wickman would notice soon and wake him up again. Rogue was picking at a hangnail; Rahne cringed and shifted her attention quickly. Pietro had long since finished all of his homework (no reason not to do it as long as he was confined), and was now counting the ceiling tiles for the twelfth time - Rahne was beginning to fear for his sanity. She flashed a smile at Sam, who grinned back at her over the top of his history textbook before returning to his studying. He'd been back at school the day after the fight, not wanting to miss a single day despite his injury. 

Finally she glanced at Kurt, who was staring out the window. Her stomach knotted just a little as she pictured the forlorn blue furry face under the hologram. She'd had a talk with him after their encounter with the Friends of Humanity, to ask what had been bothering him so. 

"Ach, Rahne," he'd said. "It is nothing to vorry about." 

"Something's botherin' my friend, and that _is_ a muckle thing to worry about." 

It had taken some arguing, but she'd finally convinced him to tell her. "I feel awful, Rahne, to confess to this. You are my friend and I vant very much to be happy for you, for your … friendship vith Sam Guthrie. But I am jealous. You see - Kitty and Lance have been dating steadily lately - the lucky man. And also I am jealous of Sam Guthrie, because … vell, because, Rahne, I know you had feelings for me …" 

"A did," she said. She folded her hands on her lap in front of her. "And neither of us ever acted on them. A'm sorry, Kurt, but tha's past now." 

"I know." He stood, and she followed suit. He leaned forward, as if to kiss her on the cheek, but she stopped him with a hand. "That does not mean I cannot feel regret, nein?" 

"Nein. Tha' is, A sometimes think, wha' being a human being is all about." 

"But not now." 

"Nae, nae now. Now, A have Sam in me life. And A've never regretted havin' ye f'r such a good friend. We'll always have tha', ye know - A promise." With that, she squeezed him in a brief hug, then left him standing alone. 

She still felt concern for her friend the fuzzy elf, but Rahne had some worries of her own now too. Back during the battle, she had come dangerously close to losing control of the wolf in her, closer than she had ever come since the first night her powers had manifested themselves. It would not have been difficult for her to kill the Friend of Humanity that had stabbed Sam - especially if Kurt had not interfered. What would happen if she lost control completely one day? What if she injured an innocent human being? One of her teammates or friends? What about Sam? Could the wolf ever hurt him? 

Rahne didn't know. But she was more than a little afraid of the answer. She focused in on her geometry homework, and resolved to save these difficult questions for a better day. End, Part 8 


End file.
